Oblivion: Canvas the Castle
by sitebender
Summary: A quirky tale of a warrior fresh from the Oblivion Planes as he tries to solve a seemingly trivial task of finding a painting and the descent into madness with a rival and the love of a Redguard.


OBLIVION CANVAS THE CASTLE

I had grown battle weary of closing Oblivion Gates that were cropping up all over Tamriel. I assisted in closing four in a row, and all of the bloodshed begins to take its toll on your mind. Seeing decaying bodies under a hellish sky and eight legged arachnidaedra would make anyone need a vacation.

The last Oblivion Gate I closed five men entered, but only two returned. The gate before that, eight men entered and only I returned. I am sure you get the picture I have painted at this point.

Well my vacation was spent with another painted picture at the castle. The countess thought that it would be good for my mind if I took a rest. She is always caring and ready with another assignment for you, no matter how trivial it may seem.

Let me tell you that my new assignment was very trivial. A painting of her late husband the count had gone missing from her bedroom. Apparently, it was the only thing that reminded her of him, but if you ask me, her priorities should lie elsewhere, like the eminent threat of invasion from Daedra.

It was my vacation, so I did not argue with the lady. At her age, her priorities are different. She's a stiff jawed, grey haired woman who has ruled the city since her husband passed on. It has been her sole duty long since I came here.

She told me in secret that there are two primary suspects, her mage the Redguard and her porter the Nord. She told me to ask them both questions, but not to rough them up. After all, she knew where I had come from, so she probably feared I would slay first, interrogate later.

Before I interviewed the suspects, I started gathering information about the situation. From milady's steward the Orc, I learned that the Nord has a drinking problem and he has been asking around for money, so it must be a big drinking problem. Perhaps he only likes expensive wines, but then I would think he could just steal from milady's private collection.

Then I went to the Imperial that seems to only stand around making idle chatter all day long. Perhaps he is another steward as well. He is a sharp dressed man with much to say about nothing and as I expected, he had nothing to tell me, because he was asleep in his chamber. However, he did tell me that he once saw the Nord exit the west tower with booze on his breath. The Imperial thought that this might be where the Nord goes to drink before passing out in bed later on.

My next important interview was the captain of the guard. A tall regal looking man with a young face and a square chin that said he was doing the rounds that night outside the castle. Although he was out the night of the theft, he did tell me that he has caught the Redguard coming out of the west tower later that night. When he asked her about it, she told him that is where she goes to practice magic, where it will not hurt anyone.

Two arrows that point to the west tower, so I had to take a look for myself. These towers are so remote I doubt I've ever been in one here at the castle. At first I had to move some clutter to get to the hatch and then once I went in the tower, I found someone had a secret painting room in there.

Beyond a wall of boxes was an unusual painting of a church marred in a cloak of darkness. There was s black sky on a velvet painting, with no signature to mark who had painted it. Apparently there is a secret painter; perhaps someone secretly took the painting to touch it up as a gift to the old countess. Looking at this dark church though, perhaps someone with this demonic detail would put a curse on the painting of the deceased count and return it to its rightful place to keep an eye on milady. No, that could not be it that is just the daedra talking from my tainted soul.

I needed a break before my thoughts go wild again, so I returned to the Great Hall where I was met by some of milady's pleasant guards. Aside from the captain and the bodyguards that surrounded the countess, all of the guards were women. The eccentric old lady would laugh and tell everyone that they've never seen a woman angry before if they do not fear her royal guards.

The company was pleasant to be around and they whispered of the new man in town. Perhaps this could be an art dealer. No, I need to take my mind off things and just accept that these guards are talking about the new slab of meat in town.

Speaking of meat, then the old Nord came in, angry and the guards decided to up and leave. The porter was a suspect, so I decided to speak with him right then and there. He was a bastard and angry, but not any different from most any other Nord. They have difficult lives, born in the cold, snowy mountains to mothers raped by Viking plunderers.

He informed me with stinky breath that on the night in question, he was having an argument with a courier from a nearby town that had fallen in the mud and broken two bottles of his expensive booze. The Nord argued with the man and disbelieved the story before sending him off. Perhaps I should find this courier to confirm the tale, but it is already very late.

There is just one more person that I should speak with before the night is over and that is the Redguard. I knocked on her door and there appeared an enchanting lady with beautiful head of hair, thick lips and great eyes. She was perfectly pleasant and a welcome change from the Nord I was just speaking to.

She invited me in and I told her that I was investigating the disappearance of the painting. The enchantress told me that she was outside studying the stars, but in my mind, I heard her tell me that she was studying the stars to foretell my coming to her.

My heart was touched and she asked if I way okay. Then she went on to tell me that after making star charts she returned to her quarters to sleep. I think that she has been longing every day of her life for someone like me to find her. This is why the countess assigned me to this position. She must know something that I do not, perhaps this disappearing painting is all a big rouse to match us up.

After all, to my recollection, I do not remember a portrait of the count. It was all made up! Yes that's it! That is why the countess was so adamant about not accusing anyone until I had all the clues! There was no crime! But I can't tip my hand to this; after all, the Redguard might not see it that way. She may be offended that milady is interfering in the personal lives of those under her rule.

The beautiful Redguard and I charmed each other. She found me witty and such good company. I found her to be the angelic face that I was missing after fighting all of those demons on the planes of Oblivion!

At the night's end, she bid me goodbye and I told her that I may have to speak with her again. She was fine with that, but I think it was restrained jubilation. Yes, that is exactly how I would describe it!

After a good night's rest, I was ready to start the day anew. The sun was in the sky, birds were chirping, and love seemed all around. The guards were crushing on the new piece of meat. He is indeed a handsome fellow that I saw strolling through town in his shinny armor without a battle scar on his face. Under his helmet I can see his river of long blonde locks that went halfway down his back. The important thing is that love is in the air. The bees were in love with flowers, and even the countess was still in love with her count after all of these years.

What should be my first task at hand? I know, a light breakfast, followed up with a workout of archery behind the Fighters Guild. After that, a stroll through a beautiful meadow, then perhaps talk to my good friend at the Fighters Guild and tell him about the Redguard enchantress I met last night. What a joy to be alive today!

I saw milady's Orc steward on his way to buy goods from the local trade shop. We bid each other good day, he asked me how the investigation was going and I told him that it could not be better. He was glad to hear it, especially for an Orc. We even walked and talked a little more before we arrived at the local trader.

When we went inside, we were greeted by an Argonian woman and her less than attractive reptilian daughter. How we Imperials let them live in our land of Cyrindril I will never know. Then on our way out I noticed something down in a corner of her store; a stack of paintings. That reminded me of the task at hand, to find the lost portrait.

The Orc and I returned to the castle again to be greeted by the guards and the countess who was curious how the investigation was going. I replied, "It's going wonderful milady!" She was very pleased to hear that from my mouth. I think she knows what I mean and she planned it. An intelligent woman that helps her subjects in every facet of their lives.

Then I heard a commotion going on upstairs in the quarters. So I rushed upstairs to see what it was. I found the old Nord outside his quarters with two guards inside. There was not much inside of his chamber other than a bed, a broom and a chest with clothes. The men apologized for the inconvenience.

From the left there was another commotion down the hall, so I rushed to see what it was. It was my Redguard, screaming at the captain with two of his men there. I asked what the problem was and the captain told me that he doesn't answer to me. One of the guards informed me the countess wants her painting.

I told the captain, "Please Sir, let me politely investigate."

The captain looked at me and said, "Alright, but we will keep an eye on things from out here."

My search began sifting through bookshelves, under her bed, in her chest of drawers with her rose colored unmentionables. The Redguard had no problem with any of it; she merely sat back by her ledger. As I searched, I thought to myself, this must be the countess wanting to improve my standing with the Redguard beauty. I dashed in and looked like the hero while these brutes would have overturned everything with no apology.

She was thankful I had a softer touch as I searched another shelf, another chest, another dresser. There was nothing incriminating, no painting. I shook her hand after I was done with the search. She was very pleasant about the whole thing, then as I was about to leave, the captain pointed out, "What is that behind her?"

It was a humble ledger with two drawers that she had been standing in front of the entire time I searched her room. I had to search it with the captain watching and when I did, there were paint brushes, a paint palette and other paint related things. My beauty must be the painter from the west tower.

There was nothing at all wrong with that, and the captain did not seem to know what goes on in the west tower otherwise he would have questioned it more. Although I wondered why she would need to keep it a secret and not have it in her chamber. Then I rationalized it and thought, the drunken old Nord probably saved up to have a nude portrait painted and that is the only place they both felt comfortable. He was asking for money to pay her, and he was drunk because that's what he needed to do in order to finally get nude.

The secret if safe with me, if that is indeed the secret. We bid farewell again and we all left her in peace to work on her star charts. There was a smile as she told me goodbye and it made my day.

That day came to a crashing halt though as I returned to the throne room of milady to discover the blonde hunk of meat on one knee before her. His helmet was off and his hair shined like gold as I overheard them from my perch on the balcony.

She told him that there is a missing painting that she needs help finding. What? That is my investigation and she just gives it to some outsider? Then I overhear the phrase, "Hero of Kvatch." That is him? But he hardly has a scratch on him? That is the man that closed twelve oblivion gates? Well that certainly dwarfs the four that I closed and now he is here replacing me? How dare he? This is my castle and that's milady down there seeking his help when I am already on the job! Someone better came along, now milady intends to pair her fine mage Redguard with him? How dare she?

My anger will have to wait though; I cannot just rush down there yelling at the countess and this "Hero of Kvatch." I would look completely insane; no, I should hurry this investigation and prove that the crazy old bat probably has the portrait hidden and she is merely looking for a suitor to her mage.

To do that, I needed to get into milady's chamber. I snuck by the guards and into the exterior room of her chamber where I found a grand seating area and a bar, which was perhaps the old Nord's favorite place. In fact, I saw him drinking behind the bar, but I was able to sneak by him, up the stairs and to milady's door.

Once I picked the lock, I slipped in to see how grand her chamber really was. A desk, two beds fit for queens, an enchanting area with plenty of books and everything needed to make any potion. There were tapestries on the wall and everything had a very expensive feeling to it. The dressers were full of exquisite dresses and there was everything but a portrait of the count. Assuming there ever was a portrait of the count.

If someone stole it, maybe it was sold to an art dealer like the Argonian trader, or worse, it could have been sold to a traveling art dealer and I would have to look all over Cyrindril for it. After being consumed by my thoughts, I left the chamber back into the hallway where all the personal chambers were. That is when I knew one thing is certain, now I have competition and that blonde piece of meat is talking to my Redguard beauty. I can see them together with her feeling her hair and smiling to him. When a woman has her arm up, it shows comfort and he smiles back at her. This is not good at all.


End file.
